ColorRun Retro

[tokra]

Name: ColorRun Retro
Author: tokra
Released: Feb, 1st, 2016
Requirements: PAL VIC-20 unexpanded

Description: A VIC20-version of the browser-/mobile game of the same name. Just pick the lighter color. Sounds too easy, but isn't.
My entry for the Global Game Jam 2016. Done in under 48 hours at the University of Bremen Jam Site.

Screenshot:



Download: http://www.tokra.de/vic/colorrun/colorrun-v2.zip

[darkatx]

I got a beginner and a couple of Lamers after rushing a touch but got an Average for my troubles...ended up with a Beginner when I tried to get serious...it is challenging

[Boray]

I got average in Vice. Nice!

[orion70]

Difficult even in VICE for me
Boray, tell the truth: you cheated slowing it down, didn't you?

[Boray]

Tried it on a real Vic a bunch of times and got 1022 points, level 14 and rank Teacher.

One problem though: Sometimes the color combination of the game over screen makes it impossible to read on a real vic.

[tokra]

One problem though: Sometimes the color combination of the game over screen makes it impossible to read on a real vic.

RIght now char-color is just (background-color + 1 and 7). Tried this in VICE and on my S-Video-moded VIC and while sometimes difficult to read it was always distinguishable. I am open to suggestions how to improve this, however.

I noticed while showing the game around that some people can play this very naturally while other fail miserably. Some try to be as fast as possible, while others play it safe and their time runs out. It's hard to find the best middle ground. BTW: You get "42 minus 2x level" bonus time for each correct answer, so at the beginning you get 4/6 of a second for each correct answer. And from level 22 forward you actually loose time. I've never made it that far myself without trainer, though.

Although I used a machine-language joystick-routine at the last minute (I borrowed from "Programming the VIC"), it still plays best with keyboard.

The original browser game I based this on can be found at http://www.colorrun.pl

[Boray]

One problem though: Sometimes the color combination of the game over screen makes it impossible to read on a real vic.

RIght now char-color is just (background-color + 1 and 7). Tried this in VICE and on my S-Video-moded VIC and while sometimes difficult to read it was always distinguishable. I am open to suggestions how to improve this, however.

Maybe if you just rewrite the final score with either white or black depending on if the left field is dark or light. I don't think it's a good idea to do this other than for the final score though because then you can cheat and look on the text color instead which would be easier.

[tokra]

Ok, I've taken some time to improve this game to Version 2:

- NTSC version included
- Joystick-routine improved
- text-display colors improved (only black & white depending on background)
- BASIC-code tightened as much as possible
- Machine-code included in file (no more DATA-loader)
- total game takes up only 1241 bytes for NTSC, 1245 for PAL = 5 blocks on disc

Download here: http://www.tokra.de/vic/colorrun/colorrun-v2.zip